Surfrider Against Cigarette Butts
Cigarette butts are the most commonly collected item during Retrace! cleanups, yet they remain one of the most underestimated types of waste. Made of a cellulose acetate filter—a plastic treated with toxic substances— they pollute the ocean.
In light of this, Surfrider Foundation Europe launched Surfrider Against Cigarette Butts (SACB): a European campaign to bring this form of pollution out of the shadows.
The idea is simple: take part in or organize a cigarette butt cleanup near you, and make this a powerful statement!
In 2025, Surfrider sought to raise awareness about the toxicity of cigarette butts through a Europe-wide campaign led by its local chapters.
The NGO made its stance clear by calling for a ban on cigarette filters in order to eliminate this pollution at the source!
Cleanup efforts have been organized in several European countries and in various locations (beaches, rivers, parks, etc.) to draw attention to this pollution and its disastrous consequences:
Every year, 4.5 trillion cigarette butts are discarded in the environment.
This waste pollutes the ocean, but more importantly, scientific studies show that filters have no health benefits.
They may even encourage deeper inhalation. ⚠️
Cigarette filters are made of plastic and contain up to 15,000 microfibers per filter. Once discarded, they release these plastic fibers, contributing to microplastic pollution in the environment and releasing additives and chemicals.
A single filter contains more than 2,500 toxic chemicals that are released into the ocean and ingested by marine animals. These substances have been found in 70% of seabirds.
In recent months, new tobacco-related products have been turning up in waste collections: vape pens, nicotine pouches, e-cigarette waste…
These new products are flooding the market and mask a very troubling reality.
Nicotine (originally an insecticide!), liquids containing substances considered hazardous, and lithium batteries end up polluting the environment, degrading habitats, and impacting wildlife.
In 2026, our efforts will take on a whole new dimension; we aim to:
❌ The fact that pollution from particulate filters isn't decreasing is why we continue to call for their ban,
📝 Collect data using our new tobacco quantification protocol to identify emerging sources of pollution that must also be eliminated,
💪 Show the strength of our collective, which will never give up in the face of this irreversible pollution of the ocean.